Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Year : 2, Issue: 37
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is treating the apparent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump as “extremely serious,” an agent said Monday, “We view this as extremely serious and are determined to provide answers as to what led up to the events which took place,” Jeffrey Veltri, the FBI special agent in charge of the Miami field office, told a briefing.
He was joined by Acting Secret Service Director Ron Rowe, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Markenzy Lapointe, US attorney, for the Southern District of Florida, who provided further details regarding the incident on Sunday.
Veltri also said the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, had an “active online presence” and that the agency is going through all of his posts and online search history.
“We’re going through media reports and public statements he made that he wanted to recruit Afghan soldiers and others to fight for Ukraine. The FBI has sent multiple requests to companies for returns on the subject’s phone and social media accounts,” he said.
Routh was earlier charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. A detention hearing for him is scheduled for Sept. 23, followed by an arraignment on Sept. 30.
Although authorities have yet to announce a motive in the suspect’s actions, Trump on Monday blamed Harris’ rhetoric for the apparent assassination attempt.
“The Rhetoric, Lies, as exemplified by the false statements made by Comrade Kamala Harris during the rigged and highly partisan ABC Debate, and all of the ridiculous lawsuits specifically designed to inflict damage on Joe’s, then Kamala’s, Political Opponent, ME, has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust. Because of this Communist Left Rhetoric, the bullets are flying, and it will only get worse!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
According to charging documents unsealed on Monday, Routh may have spent nearly 12 hours on Sunday near the area where he was spotted in the bushes along the perimeter of the Trump International Golf Club, said CNN.
Source: Anadolu Agency
